Navy Archives - Page 13 of 23 - Destination's Journey

British Submarine HMS P712

The captured Perla, at anchor in Beirut harbour, Syria 17 July 1942

British Submarine HMS P712

HMS P712 was a Perla-class submarine captured by the Royal Navy during World War Two and subsequently operated by them.

Perla was the lead ship of her class of submarines built for the Italian Regina Marina. On June 6, 1942, Perla launched two torpedoes at the British corvette HMS Hyacinth. Both missed and Hyacinth counter attacked with depth charges. Suffering serious damage, Captain Ventura ordered her to surface and be scuttled. Damage to the Kingston Valves caused by the attack meant that she flooded very slowly. This provided time for the British to board and prevent her sinking.

Repaired and commissioned into the British Royal Navy she was renamed HMS P712.

While in British service she was used to evaluate the level of development of Italian submarines.

In 1943, she was transferred to the Hellenic Navy and renamed Matrozos. She served until 1947 when she was sold and scrapped.

Perla in with its original pre-war color scheme

Perla in with its original pre-war color scheme

British Submarine HMS X2

HMS X2 (ex-Galileo Galilei) at Aden after her capture showing the damage to her fin

British Submarine HMS X2

HMS X2 was an Archimedes-class submarine operated by the British Royal Navy during World War Two. Originally the Italian Regina Marina submarine Galileo Galilei, it was captured on 19 June 1940 after an engagement with the British anti-submarine warfare trawler HMS Moonstone.

Towed to Port Said, she was repaired and commissioned into the Royal Navy as HMS X2. This was later changed to HMS P711. During her service she as used as a training submarine in the east. Following the conclusion of the Second World War she was scrapped in January 1946.

British Submarine HMS K4

HMS K-4 on the shallows of Walney Island at low tide, January 1917

British Submarine HMS K4

HMS K4 was a K-class submarine of the British Royal Navy. Launched on 13 July 1916, she was commissioned on 1 January 1917.

K4 had an accident prone career, first being stranded on Walney Island in January 1917, followed by a collision with HMS K1 on 17 November 1917. This resulted in the loss of K1 although her crew were rescued.

On 31 January 1918, during a night time fleet exercise K4 was sunk after colliding with K6 and K7, while she was attempting to avoid K3. HMS K4 was lost with all hands.